This morning Stuart started the morning with a marathon running from our overnight stay in Mooroopna via Shepparton and then northwards towards Cobram. The endless flat roads made the running relatively easy and enjoyable and he completed the distance in 4.18 smiling.

It is quite amazing as we pass through this farming belt of northern Victoria how dry the land is. The local people that we meet comment that there has not been any real rain for almost 8 years and it is causing significant hardship. Nevertheless we are constantly amazed by their cheerfulness and hospitality towards us. In the afternoon we were warmly greeted by Mayor Ed Cox of Moira Shire and his daughter Liz in downtown Cobram.

Cobram is a very multicultural town with significant populations from Iraq, Italy, Croatia and other countries calling Cobram their home and he was very pleased to hear that the Harmony Torch would be reaching so many people of different cultures in its worldwide journey. Cobram is also known for its beautiful river beaches and we wasted no time dipping into the cool waters of the mighty Murray River before setting off down the highway to Yarrawonga. As Tristan and I ran into Yarrawonga we were greeted by many of the locals who enthusiastically waved and honked their car horns as we strode into town. On the foreshore of picturesque Lake Mulwala we met with Councilor Jackie Crothers from Moira Shire and her son Felix.

After our meeting we ran along the banks of Lake Mulwala and were greeted by 2 young girls Tilliah and Alex who invited us to swing on their rope swing over the water.

Naturally we both complied and the resulting photograph is evidence of our successful water crossing.

Team B started the day driving into a glorious rainbow clad sky. Ahh… the perfect way to start a day on the road! Today also provided a great contrast to the past few days, which have been packed full with ceremonies. Our team started in Yarawonga, a good sized Victorian Country Town, hustling and bustling on a Saturday morning. Running through the centre of town we enjoyed the friendliness of the locals, especially the young, bright eyed children eager for a World Harmony Run sticker. From there on it was pretty much all running. A chance to really feel not only the spirit of the World Harmony Run but also the spirit of our beautiful country. Vast open (and dry) lands, endless blue skies, stunning Australian fauna and flora. We all felt our land was nourishing us and carrying us along our journey. The road from Yarawonga to Howlong was quite busy and we enjoyed the interest from the passing traffic. We were touched by the goodwill and support offered through the ongoing waves and beeps of the car horns. It amazed us how a simple “beep” could give us so much encouragement. “Encouragement is an immediate smile producer” (Sri Chinmoy). All the beeps and waves certainly kept us smiling a long way. Thank you to the kind country folk of Victoria.

One of the not so often spoken aspects of the World Harmony Run is the team work involved in the Run. Today was all about team work. As runners, we enjoyed being able to support each other whilst we took our turns to run with the torch. Each time we swapped runners we reset the odometer and carefully tracked our distances, encouraging each other to continue just a little further than we had first decided. In our extra steps we found so much joy and at times we all felt we could keep running forever (such is the inspiration of this great event).

Next we ran into Howlong. We met some wonderfully warm Australians in this very sweet little town, many of whom had heard of the World Harmony Run from the local school. They were so open and kind. They made us proud to be Australian.

Out of Howlong we enjoyed our last 30kms into Albury before we were to finish for the evening. This was our favourite part of the day. Another perfect running weather day meant we still had lots of energy for our last runs. As dusk began to descend and the warmth from the flame of the Torch became more appealing, we felt inspiration from the World Harmony Run Song, the support vehicles turned up their stereos REAL loud and nestled in closely behind the runner so the catchy tune could be heard. Freshness in the tired legs was found as we ran powerfully to end for the day, feeling very satisfied and grateful.

Special note of thanks must go to the policemen who both stopped when they saw us en route to Albury. They were so friendly and supportive and made us very proud of our Police Force.

To the photographer from the “Border Mail” who drove out on the road to meet us after his assignment at a local footy match, thank you very much also. Your enthusiasm for the World Harmony Run was awesome and much appreciated. To the ever-compassionate big-eyed cows and horses and of course the endless sheep, thank you too! We were charmed and delighted by your endless curiosity and attentiveness to our every step!

In the evening we spent the night as guests of Kevin at the Lake Hume Tourist Park . This place has to been seen to be believed. It is stunningly beautiful with fantastic amenities, it was a great place for us to rest our legs. Kevin was the perfect host providing us with great cabins and ice cream for dessert. The perfect end to a perfect day.

We look forward to seeing you all on the road tomorrow!!

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